Between RoundsOf course, Obama can be beat but right now, people are wondering what happened to the straight talking, fire breathing McCain. Right now, McCain is more like Dole. McCain's flat and he looks tired. It's as if he's been campaigning so long already that he's run of out of gas. That's the problem with being 72; your stamina is always in question, even though few people could have endured the grueling schedules of the presidential candidates. The question on many minds is, Does John McCain have the legs to go the distance?

Some people think he may be leaning back into the ropes, conserving his strength while Obama punches himself out with himself with one campaign misstep and gaffe after another. They think (hope) that McCain strategy is to attract moderates by not resorting to harsh campaign tactics or attacks. Moderates do not want to see the same old divisive politics. Let us all get along and work together to solve our nation’s problems. Blah, blah, blah.

You can only use the rope-a-dope for so long. Eventually, you've got to make it a fight. You've got to land enough blows to outpoint your opponent. If you're really lucky and he's exhausted himself, he may drop his hands and if you're not too old and still have your power, you might get lucky and land a KO. If you’ve still got the power. But most likely, you just want to keep it close and hope the decision goes your way.

People are beginning to wonder when McCain will come off the ropes. The crowd is restless. They want to see a fight. Why isn't he fighting? Obama's not sharp; he's showing some cuts and bruises, he looks like he's off his game? Why isn't McCain taking the fight to him already? McCain in his prime should have been able to put this punk away by the third round. But McCain ain't in his prime. Maybe McCain’s trying to make into the 10th round Conventions with enough stamina left to finish out the last three rounds with a flourish. At least that is what I hope because right now, McCain looks tired as he just flicks an occasional jab. Obama on the other hand looks like all style and no substance. Thin arms. No knockout power. Hillary Clinton went the distance, remember? But that old broad was tough, a real street fighter, she wouldn’t go down and she didn’t give up. Obama beat her up pretty good, but he couldn't finish her off. The judges gave him that decision.

McCain's got to come off the ropes and start punching. Soon. It would be a shame to let the kid take the title with nothing but style points.

Good analysis Whit. I sense that Obama has a nascent irritating quality that is just being noticed. His rash pronouncements and policy statements have leap-frogged the necessary investigation and thoughtfulness that should go into foreign policy. He stubbornly will not admit he was wrong about the surge. The consequences will soon be apparent.

Rat and Whit make good points. Thinking more about their comments, McCain needs to take the plunge now and pick a VP. He has to go all in and pick someone who has the energy and heft to contrast with Obama. Bobby Jindal is not the guy. He may as well go with Romney or Rudy. I somewhat disagree about the use of old style politics. McCain needs to knock down the idea that Obama is anything other than a slick politician.

McCain's only chance is to shore up his flagging base. If he picks Romney or Rudy the Evangelicals will stay home en masse. Normally I would recommend Huck, but this is the year of identity politics. So McCain has to go long and pick Governor Sarah "Barracuda" Palin, fiscal conservative, pro-life, gun-totin', churchgoing, beautiful mother of five. Even Bobal likes her.

The last half hour of the movie is organized around the following hypothesized culprits in the downfall of the electric car:

Consumers Lots of ambivalence to new technology, unwillingness to compromise on decreased range and increased cost for improvements to air quality and reduction of dependence on foreign oil. Although these allegations are made about consumers by industry reps in the film, perhaps explaining the film's "guilty" verdict, the actual consumers interviewed in the film were either unaware an electric car was available, or dismayed that they could no longer obtain one.

Batteries Limited range (60-70 miles) and reliability in the first EV-1s to ship, but better (110 - 160 miles) later. Research says the average driving distance of Americans in a day is 30 miles or less and that 90% of Americans could use electric cars in their daily commute. Towards the end of the film, an engineer explains that, as of the interview, lithium ion batteries, the same technology available in laptops, would have allowed the EV-1 to be upgraded to a range of 300 miles per charge.

Oil companies Fearful of losing business to a competing technology, they supported efforts to kill the ZEV mandate. They also bought patents to prevent modern NiMH batteries from being used in US electric cars.

Car companies Negative marketing, sabotaging their own product program, failure to produce cars to meet existing demand, unusual business practices with regards to leasing versus sales. The film only explains this behavior once, saying that electric cars needed fewer expensive repairs and would hence not make the car companies as much money over the long term as gasoline-powered cars. The film also describes the history of automaker efforts to destroy competing technologies, such as their destruction through front companies of public transit systems in the United States in the early 20th century. It also, in one interview, mentions that automakers introduced important safety and emissions innovations including seat belts, airbags and catalytic converters only when forced by government legislation.

GovernmentThe federal government joined in the auto industry suit against California, has failed to act in the public interest to limit pollution and require increased fuel economy, has promoted the purchase of vehicles with poor fuel efficiency through preferential tax breaks, and has redirected alternative fuel research from electric towards hydrogen.

California Air Resources Board The CARB, headed by Alan Lloyd, caved to industry pressure and repealed the ZEV mandate. Lloyd was given the directorship of the new fuel cell institute, creating an inherent conflict of interest. Footage shot in the meetings showed how he shut down the ZEV proponents while giving the car makers all the time they wanted to make their points.

Hydrogen fuel cell The hydrogen fuel cell was presented by the film as an alternative that distracts attention from the real and immediate potential of electric vehicles to an unlikely future possibility embraced by automakers, oil companies and a pro-business administration in order to buy time and profits for the status quo. The film backs up the claim that hydrogen vehicles are a mere distraction by stating that "A fuel cell car powered by hydrogen made with electricity uses 3 to 4 times more energy than a car powered by batteries" and by interviewing the author of The Hype About Hydrogen, who lists 5 problems he sees with hydrogen vehicles (these are his paraphrased claims, along with exact quotations):

1. Current fuel cell cars cost an average of $1,000,000. This cost, in his words, "has gotta drop." 2. Current materials cannot store enough hydrogen in a reasonable space to "give you the range people want." 3. Hydrogen fuel is "wildly expensive." In his words "even hydrogen from dirty fossil fuels is two or three times more expensive than gasoline." 4. The need for an entire new fueling infrastructure. He claims "someone's gonna have to build at least ten or twenty thousand hydrogen fueling stations, before anybody is going to be interested." 5. Competing technologies will improve over time as well. "You have to hope and pray that the competitors in the marketplace don't get any better. Because right now the best car in the marketplace just got a lot better, the hybrid vehicle..."

From one of the London papers:"I just hope the americans dont vote for obama. He will end up being a more charasmatic version of clement attlee(ie more dangerous) he will be able to charms them into an american version of the NHS and that will be it, the super power will dwindle and china will take over the wordl. come on mccain"

That's the simple truth. GM bought control of NiMH in 1994 (yes, GM once owned the batteries needed for the Prius, so GM is not too swift). But GM tried to suppress them, saying they could not work.

Toyota's production of the EV-95 battery (95 amp-hours) showed that it was indeed possible to use NiMH to run an EV more than 100 miles on a charge, taking GM apparently by surprise.

In 1999, the Auto Alliance (AAMA) was dissolved, and Toyota was admitted to the new Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (AAM). GM perhaps was determined never to suffer such a surprise again. But how to give Toyota an excuse to cease production of the pesky, successful RAV4-EV, and the EV-95 batteries it used?

GM sold the patent rights to Texao on Oct. 10, 2000. Six days later, on Oct. 16, 2000, Texaco merged into Chevron. Now a merger of this size doesn't happen overnight! But why would GM sell to an intermediary, not Chevron?

Well, Chevron is the successor to Standard Oil of California, and apparently, they could say that it wasn't GM and Standard Oil, this time!

After the merger, Chevron funded a lawsuit against Toyota, who paid Chevron's unit "cobasys" $30M in a still-secret settlement agreement, and ceased prodution of the EV-95 battery. NO MORE CAN BE SOLD, and Toyota has failed to supply replacement batteries for RAV4-EV, which are all operating on batteries last made in 2002.

Now if you don't believe, you don't look at the facts. Was this lawsuit just a cover for Toyota to fulfill its part of the agreement, letting them into the AAM? The predecessor AAMA had studiously excluded Asians, now they were admitted. Was the quid pro quo for being allowed to join, just the termination of the RAV4-EV program?

The RAV4-EV goes more than 100 miles on a charge, still, 6 years after the last one was sold, on NIMH batteries that are no longer sold, which once were in production, but which Chevron (Standard Oil) now controls.

I agree. Them all are bought political whores of the oil mafia their defense contractors and their east coast bankers. But, their oligarchic imperialist system is starting to come apart, and some of their political whores are starting to look elsewhere.

THE SET AMERICA FREE COALITION brings together prominent individuals and non-profit organizations concerned about the security and economic implications of America’s growing dependence on foreign oil. The coalition organized by the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security (IAGS,) promotes a blueprint which spells out practical ways in which real progress toward energy security can be made over the next several years.

A variation of the "American" immigration into Texas, when that was still Mexico.

The US government has gone to great lengths to protect US citizens in Granada and China, in times past. There is a hisoty of US troops invading and occupying Mexico. As it becomes populated with US born citizens, the chances of that occurring again can be assured.

Metuselah: The RAV4-EV goes more than 100 miles on a charge, still, 6 years after the last one was sold, on NIMH batteries that are no longer sold, which once were in production, but which Chevron (Standard Oil) now controls. Those are simple, verifiable FACTS.

If that's true, and capitalism works to supress technology that can save us from dependence on foreign oil, then what good is capitalism? Why not go with Euro-socialism, where we still have dependence on foreign oil but at least we get free health care too?

I don't accept that, Tes. That's not free market capitalism, that's an imperialist oligarchic mafia. And there is a good legal case to be made that this particular patent ownership held by Chevron is be rejected and be made null and void.

"The US government has gone to great lengths to protect US citizens in Granada and China, in times past. There is a hisoty of US troops invading and occupying Mexico. As it becomes populated with US born citizens, the chances of that occurring again can be assured."---The PC/Corruption Revolution has occured, and somehow the Desert Rat missed it entirely!

We don't protect our citizens from illegal gang members in THIS country OR in Mexico, NOW, and things sure aren't heading in that direction.

I'm not sure I'm understanding what you're asking. Toyota has licensed the technology from GM for their RAV4-EV. And then it was decided that the technology is to go extinct (even though demand exceeded supply both for the RAV4-EV and the EV1).

Al Gore though. (shaking head) That zealot doesn't care who he bankrupts for Mother Earth. Ten years to get off fossil fuels or "it's the end of the world as we know it." The man is either a prophet or an idiot. You tell me...

Look at it this way, 12 million illegal Mexicanss are in the US, averaging 3.2 US citizens per couple.Postulate that there are 3 million couples out of the 12 million illegals, or 10 million US citizens with illegal parents, that may well emigrate to Mexico, or about 10% of the current population of Mexico.

10 million US citizens being brutalized in Mexico, Oh, what a causus belli for US action to protect and serve them, even when outside the US, but in America.

When those 10 million reach breeding age, having 3.2 children per, another 32 million US citizens living in Mexico.

the argument that conditions in Iraq have improved enough that U.S. combat troops can soon be pulled out. After all, if the political leadership of that surge-blessed country seems to think it's time to contemplate a withdrawal timetable for U.S. troops, why should Americans resist?

This illustrates the double-bind that Bush, McCain, and the conservative commentariat have created for themselves with their relentless surge-o-mania. If they're wrong and the surge has failed to significantly change the fundamental realities of Iraq, then it's time to get out. If they're right and the surge is succeeding brilliantly, it's also time to get out. Moreover, if Iraqis agree with either assessment, it's definitely time to get out.

GM destroyed its own EV1 fan club, even arresting two would-be cash buyers. Instead of selling the EV1 for cash, GM spent money dismantling and smelting them. GM had a niche market cachet, highly visible and fanatically loyal drivers, and GM trashed the whole thing. The EV1 was a car made in the USA, and fueled by American electrons; often, by rooftop solar systems on the drivers home. Former EV1 drivers were, as others, driven to Toyota, and now drive the all-electric RAV4-EV, last sold in Nov., 2002.

GM even owned control of the only batteries proven to last longer than the life of the car, Nickel Metal Hydride. GM threw that away, too, selling it on Oct. 10, 2000 to Chevron (Texaco). Yes, GM once owned the batteries needed for Toyota's Prius. There's a lack of accountability, with GM staggering on, defeat after defeat, not admitting mistakes such as this huge one.

By trashing the EV1, insisting on destroying every copy, GM demonstrated its ongoing and continuing dis-interest in more efficient cars. Even when volunteers rebuild a gutted, museum 1997 EV1 so that it can run again, GM orders them to "cease and desist" (only 44 1997 EV1 were donated, the 1999 were crushed).

GM has never made money at small, gas-efficient cars, and even now views hybrids and EVs as merely a perception problem. It's still waiting for the return of $2 gasoline. GM's "strategy" of rebranding Saturn and Daiwoo small cars runs against the tide of the falling dollar, squeezing their profit margin even more, and showing that they are not serious about a transition to actually building more efficient cars in the USA. They are only interested in bridging the perception gap until what they hope is the return of cheap gas.

It's not just a perception problem, and not just a rotten management problem: GM doesn't make the kind of cars that people want, cares little for customer care, and has permanently alienated a lot of former "consumers".

Because of GM's prevarication and disinformation about the EV1, and their failure to admit existing technology that could be used, their supposed VOLT suffers from open disbelief among former Electric car drivers, instead of the open-arms that one would think it deserves.

But blatant GM lies about "why the EV1 didn't sell" (the EV1 was never offered for sale) and its performance indicate that GM is still following its disastrous oil-based policy. Those charged with "engineering" the supposed VOLT still fail to acknowledge the 140 mile EPA range on the EV1, its success at the mission for which it was designed, and lessees' love for the car.

GM is still lying about the supposed "range problem", a problem created only in the minds of GM enemies of the EV1.

It adds up to the biggest problem about GM: lack of credibility. No one believes them any more.

Magnificent Ronald and the Founding Fathers of al Qaeda

“These gentlemen are the moral equivalents of America’s founding fathers.” — Ronald Reagan while introducing the Mujahideen leaders to media on the White house lawns (1985). During Reagan’s 8 years in power, the CIA secretly sent billions of dollars of military aid to the mujahedeen in Afghanistan in a US-supported jihad against the Soviet Union. We repeated the insanity with ISIS against Syria.